On FaceBook, I follow two breed-specific rescue groups: The Malinois Rescue Ranch, and the Malinois & Dutch Shepherd Rescue, Re-home and Adoption. Now, some people may take offense to the fact that there are breed-specific rescues, but there's something about these two (and others that rescue the same breed(s)) that divide them from the rest. The offended parties might say something along these lines:
"I don't think it's fair that breed-specific rescue groups discriminate against other dog breeds. They all deserve to be saved."
Now, let's review that statement. Firstly, all dogs do deserve to be saved and deserve to have a home and a loving family. There's no question about it. However, for those of you who know, have worked, and understand just what the Belgian malinois and Dutch shepherd are you realize just how important these breed-specific rescues play in helping these breeds as a whole. The Belgian malinois is a high-driven dog that loves to bite. Correction. They are bred to bite. Don't misunderstand me, these dogs don't necessarily bite out of malice or with ill-intent (though if in the wrong hands, they certainly can learn to bite with something similar to that motive). Malinois bite because it's genuinely fun for them. Since dogs are related to the wolf, they have this instinct that drives them to hunt, and well...biting is often involved in hunting prey. When you see a dog chase a ball, tug, toy, they are playing not in the sense that we would understand it; but rather, they are chasing down and catching prey. What many people don't know, or are at least ill-informed of, is that the Belgian malinois is a lot of dog. Some people will describe them as being "German Shepherds on crack," and even I find that to be an understatement. These are dogs that will easily run you over if you don't know what you're doing--and it's very easy to make that mistake even if you've owned dogs your entire life. This type of dog is one that won't hesitate to give you a taste of your own medicine if they feel they've been wrongly punished/corrected. Even some of the best professional malinois-owners have been bitten by their own malinois.
The Dutch shepherd is very similar to the malinois; however, they are more likely to not be as trigger happy with the biting. I've heard the Dutch shepherd described as "having the drive of a malinois but the mind of a German Shepherd," meaning that the Dutch shepherd is just as crazy and high energy as the malinois, but is less likely to "bite first and ask questions later." A malinois would probably follow a ball off a cliff, but a Dutch shepherd would stop at the edge. Of course, most Dutch shepherds nowadays are cross-bred with the malinois (as seen in KNPV lines), so it's best to be on the safe side and keep your guard up. They are just as crazy, driven, and bitey as their fawn-colored counterparts--as I have experienced with my own dutchie (a nickname we call our Dutch shepherds).
Now, back to the original question: Is it wrong for there to be a breed-specific rescues? In my opinion, of course not! And let me tell you why.
Not everyone is informed about breeds like these two, nor are they equipped with right tools to handle one. So many times do I see people posting about a malinois or a dutch shepherd at a local shelter needing to be saved because it is on the list to be euthanized--for reasons like being reactive in a kennel, biting, etc. The malinois and Dutch shepherd are dogs that can be super reactive when there is a lot of pressure put on them. The evaluation tests that most of these local shelters conduct is done at their building and in the kennel. This is not very fair to reactive breeds like these two, nor do they give an accurate behavior test. So, to put down a dog because they may "seem and act" aggressive--but under the direction of someone who is not familiar with the breed, is simply unfair and wrong. So, to echo some of my anti-breed-specific-rescue viewers, all dogs are meant to be saved. And all dogs deserve a chance at a second life. Even the "aggressive" ones--I'm sorry, let me rephrase that, "the dogs that are seemingly aggressive, but are evaluated by people who label them as good dog/bad dog." Don't get me wrong here, there are definitely dogs out there that NEED to be put down. For some dogs, aggression is in their DNA. That means that no matter how much training you put into that dog, you will never be able to "cure" their aggression; only control and maintain it. Just because you take that dog to a professional trainer, and that dog doesn't show any aggression, doesn't mean that the dog can't/won't display aggression ever again. Working dogs like the Belgian malinois, Dutch shepherd, and working-line German Shepherds are prone to genetic-aggression because there are so many people out there who just don't breed right (i.e. breeding for a "guard dog--if I ever hear someone say "guard dog" they're most likely an amateur who doesn't really know dogs). There is no excuse for not knowing about a breed. So many shelters misidentify dogs as being malinois because they've seen one--every fawn-colored dog that has relatively pointed ears and a black face is suddenly a malinois. And every brindled-colored dog that has relatively pointed ears and a somewhat narrow muzzle is a dutch. Clearly, someone has seen what a malinois and Dutch shepherd are--but they don't take the time to get to know the breed? Sorry, that's still no excuse. Because that label not only affects the life of that dog, but also the life of the family that it's adopted into.
At the end of the day, these breed-specific rescue groups are needed because they're run by people who know the breed. They know the ins and outs, the quirks, etc. They're people who've not only owned dogs their entire life, but they've owned that breed. And the best thing about groups like the Malinois Rescue Ranch and the Malinois & Dutch Shepherd Rescue, Rehome and Adoption, is that they take in "aggressive" cases and dogs that have a bite history! You want to know why they'd do something crazy like that? Because they know that breed. They know how to handle cases like that, and they know how to manage those behaviors. And in most cases, they're the ones who save dogs because they're the dogs that get put down first. Many people think it's the old dogs, and while that may be true in some cases, the ones who are "aggressive" precede them.
And one last thing before I end this post. Breed-specific rescues are a great way for people who've never owned a specific breed but are interested in getting one. In fact, many people who are interested in getting a malinois, but have had no experience owning one, are often recommended to adopt one from a malinois rescue group. The chances of getting the malinois that would fit them are much better than having to start from ground zero with a maligator puppy and risk having a dog that is too much for them--and then inevitably having to get rid of that dog. I see a lot of those posts as well: "I have to rehome my malinois because he's too much for our family to handle."
All I'm gonna say is, when I get a dog, it's for keeps. Dogs, or any pet for that matter, are not an accessory or toy. You don't get to just get rid of them or dump them somewhere just because they don't your lifestyle or whatever reason (moving seems to also be a popular one). But that's just me. Larka, my white shepherd mix, was adopted once before I got to her--and she's not the only rescue dog who has had that story.
Friday, August 5, 2016
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Ship of Judgement and Egos
Both are a part of life. We meet new people, we judge them off of
first impressions, and then we feel the need to put that person down.
Wait. That second part might’ve just been ingrained in our society.
Especially with women, but that’s not why I’m writing this post. There
is no excuse for egos. It’s not even needed. Seriously, when is an ego
going to save your life? If anything, it would END your life quicker.
And please, if you’re going to board the ship of judgement, at least use
some common sense when you’re at it. Today was move-in day at the school, which means I also got to meet the roommates. Well, it certainly wasn’t the worst.
There was one guy already moved in. Apparently he had moved in the day before the official move-in day. The guy wanted to go into competitions and title dogs and what not--which means he would sell said dogs. And those dogs ain’t cheap. Anyway, the guy--who by the way is very friendly--asked me my experience with dogs and dog training. My response was, “Well, mostly my three dogs at home. Training wise, I can do basic obedience like sit and lay-down.”
Boy did that man jump on the ship of judgement. He didn’t even wait, he just jumped right in! He didn’t need to wear his sunglasses for me to understand that his face was telling me, “Girl, you’re soooo in over your head. You won’t make it.” Well let me tell you, it’s not like he’s the brightest crayon in the box. This guy LOVES blue heelers and cattle dogs. In fact, he came to school with his 7-year old one and a puppy. He’s also trained with some guy, whose name I guess I was “suppose” to know but didn’t (I don’t think anyone would he was probably just another dog trainer). But here’s the thing, his 7-year old cattle dog isn’t that impressive. The dog hesitates to bite when doing bite work, and his fuss is super slow. Now, a lot of that might just be on the fault of the handler (most of the time, it is), but also, cattle dogs just aren’t suited for protection work. Not like the German shepherds, Belgian malinois, Dobermans, Rottweilers, and Dutch Shepherds (just to name a few). Furthermore, TRS and TRS graduates highly discourage you from coming into school with a puppy.
Now I’ve put down deposits for my puppies, but I don’t actually HAVE a puppy with me. The reason why? Puppy testing. Most people don’t know how to correctly execute a puppy test. I’m not saying that some people don’t; in fact, one guy who graduated Masters came into the Professionals with a puppy he’d picked out--but he’s also had some concrete experience to back him up. And even if you think you’ve got it all down and that the puppy you have is “perfect,” many are surprised when the instructor tells them that their dog isn’t ideal for the work and training they’re about to undergo. Or worse, the student learns halfway through training.
So excuse me, sir, for not having my puppies picked out. Excuse me for not having any experience doing protection work. Excuse me for not having any experience with working dogs and working breeds. And excuse me for looking like a newbie, when really, I’m going off of what graduates have told me (and quite possibly what the school would advise me to do). To be honest, Mr., I feel that I have as good of a shot passing just as you. Want to know why?
Because I’m a blank slate.
You have “all of this” experience to work off of, but guess what? Your techniques might not coincide with what we’re going to be taught at the school. And guess who could be held back by said experience? Certainly not the “uppity suburb girl who went to college and can only do sits and lay downs” girl. I’m not saying I’ll be better, but I might--JUST MIGHT--have a slight advantage over you.
There’s a reason why I’m going to school. To learn. And there’s a reason why I got accepted into the school. Because I have the energy, will, and drive. The school wouldn’t have accepted my application if they didn’t feel that I was capable of passing.
Oh, and by the way, while I understand the need and want to have a “puppy playtime,” don’t be surprised when I don’t let my puppy(s) join. So let me say this in advance, “I’m sorry I don’t want my puppy to see your dogs as being more fun and interesting than me.” Nothing personal, but I don’t need to make things harder than they will be for me. As a person with so much experience, I know you understand.
Best of luck to the both of us!
There was one guy already moved in. Apparently he had moved in the day before the official move-in day. The guy wanted to go into competitions and title dogs and what not--which means he would sell said dogs. And those dogs ain’t cheap. Anyway, the guy--who by the way is very friendly--asked me my experience with dogs and dog training. My response was, “Well, mostly my three dogs at home. Training wise, I can do basic obedience like sit and lay-down.”
Boy did that man jump on the ship of judgement. He didn’t even wait, he just jumped right in! He didn’t need to wear his sunglasses for me to understand that his face was telling me, “Girl, you’re soooo in over your head. You won’t make it.” Well let me tell you, it’s not like he’s the brightest crayon in the box. This guy LOVES blue heelers and cattle dogs. In fact, he came to school with his 7-year old one and a puppy. He’s also trained with some guy, whose name I guess I was “suppose” to know but didn’t (I don’t think anyone would he was probably just another dog trainer). But here’s the thing, his 7-year old cattle dog isn’t that impressive. The dog hesitates to bite when doing bite work, and his fuss is super slow. Now, a lot of that might just be on the fault of the handler (most of the time, it is), but also, cattle dogs just aren’t suited for protection work. Not like the German shepherds, Belgian malinois, Dobermans, Rottweilers, and Dutch Shepherds (just to name a few). Furthermore, TRS and TRS graduates highly discourage you from coming into school with a puppy.
Now I’ve put down deposits for my puppies, but I don’t actually HAVE a puppy with me. The reason why? Puppy testing. Most people don’t know how to correctly execute a puppy test. I’m not saying that some people don’t; in fact, one guy who graduated Masters came into the Professionals with a puppy he’d picked out--but he’s also had some concrete experience to back him up. And even if you think you’ve got it all down and that the puppy you have is “perfect,” many are surprised when the instructor tells them that their dog isn’t ideal for the work and training they’re about to undergo. Or worse, the student learns halfway through training.
So excuse me, sir, for not having my puppies picked out. Excuse me for not having any experience doing protection work. Excuse me for not having any experience with working dogs and working breeds. And excuse me for looking like a newbie, when really, I’m going off of what graduates have told me (and quite possibly what the school would advise me to do). To be honest, Mr., I feel that I have as good of a shot passing just as you. Want to know why?
Because I’m a blank slate.
You have “all of this” experience to work off of, but guess what? Your techniques might not coincide with what we’re going to be taught at the school. And guess who could be held back by said experience? Certainly not the “uppity suburb girl who went to college and can only do sits and lay downs” girl. I’m not saying I’ll be better, but I might--JUST MIGHT--have a slight advantage over you.
There’s a reason why I’m going to school. To learn. And there’s a reason why I got accepted into the school. Because I have the energy, will, and drive. The school wouldn’t have accepted my application if they didn’t feel that I was capable of passing.
Oh, and by the way, while I understand the need and want to have a “puppy playtime,” don’t be surprised when I don’t let my puppy(s) join. So let me say this in advance, “I’m sorry I don’t want my puppy to see your dogs as being more fun and interesting than me.” Nothing personal, but I don’t need to make things harder than they will be for me. As a person with so much experience, I know you understand.
Best of luck to the both of us!
Monday, January 11, 2016
Career Change: the Tom Rose School (TRS)
"Oh, you never go into the field you studied in college."
That's the sentence I heard a lot going in AND graduating college, besides the question of "Will you teach English?" Oy....
As some of you may know, I will be attending a vocational school that specializes in professional dog training. No seriously. I'm moving in like, one day. It is called the Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers, and it's right near my home--albeit, 20-25 minutes away. That's a better deal than the 4 hours to Greencastle, Indiana! I will be going through their Professionals course--though they also offer a Masters, Advanced Masters, and a Service dog course (but you have to pass Professionals first). There I will learn how to train for dog obedience (both for puppies and adults), agility, and schutzhund/IPO/police work.
And some of you might be thinking, "But you went through 4 years at a liberal arts school and got a degree in writing! You were passionate about writing! I thought you wanted to write books for children and young adults! Why the heck are you going to school for dog training??"
Calm down, sit down, and I'll tell you a story.
Every writer knows that he/she can't make a living off of writing; at least, not at first. Unless I manage to pull a J.K. Rowling or Suzanne Collins (or even a Stephanie Meyer), I'm not going to be making enough to sustain a decent living. So, as with any other person with some type of degree in media, I need to have a backup plan. A second job to supplement my main one. And let me just say, if I'm going to be working two jobs--the first one being something that I really love to do--then by golly, the second one will have to be something that I equally love to do. And it better be just as fun and rewarding. Many of you know that I have a soft spot for animals. Any animals. And you also know that getting the foot into the door of working with animals outside the common domesticated ones is very hard--most require at least a biology/zoology degree to be consider; of course, that could've just been my experience. So what's the next best thing? The domesticated ones. Specifically, dogs. Now, that doesn't mean I dislike cats. I have two of them. Dogs are just more fun.
After I graduated college, the amount of writing I had done decreased. I was losing steam. All that mojo I had talked about earlier in the year was gone. I couldn't even bring myself to continue those fanfics I had started--and surprisingly enough, I'd get an email notification telling me that one more person has either favorited a story, put a story on their alert list, or reviewed story. My mom even suggested that writing wasn't truly what I wanted to do. I vehemently denied that notion. I can't explain why, but perhaps I wasn't as eager to write knowing that I didn't really have a reliable source to read and critique my writings as I did in class. And I don't know which is worse. Having a lot of people read and critique my works because it was expected of them (and their grades counted on it), or not having enough willing people to read and critique my works. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one. The few writing peers I had formed friendships with at school were feeling the same way, some perhaps a little lost and confused. None of us were naive enough to think that we were going to be these great hipster writers who wrote by candlelight with a glass of wine on our desks and a cigar in our hands. But surely we should've at least felt like a weight was lifted off of our shoulders. In a way, I consider myself a little lucky that I can turn to another source of interest to nurture and grow--while also keeping my love for reading and writing. I hope my friends can do the same.
So no, my readers, I'm not changing careers. I'm merely allowing myself to indulge more of my interests and passions. And also looking for another source of income. I feel like many people after college feel that they have to land a job within the field that they studied--and it has to be long term. Well, in my experience, that isn't the case. I worked two jobs--a dog kennel and a branch of my public library--and even then, the amount of time I had to rack up that money was short. I always came home exhausted, tired from the first job and mustering up the energy for the second. I was up from as early as 5:00 in the morning, to late as 9:00 at night. And since the kennel was open 24/7, that included holidays. So no Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years for me. Some people thought I was crazy working all the time, barely having enough time for my non-existent social life. I couldn't even attend my writing guild's meetings because it either conflicted with my work schedule or sleep schedule (meaning I'd dropped dead after coming home from work). But I wanted to go to this school. Badly. And I wanted to pay for it all by myself. My mom paid my college tuition, and helped me pay off my loans. I don't want to have her help me pay for this. She's done her responsibility, and I need to do mine. But even working all of those hours, I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up short. And I definitely won't have the money for the Masters if I decide to do that program as well. After all, the program requires us to get two puppies, and we're in charge of all their expenses (vet bills, food, etc.).
But I'm excited, and hopeful, for my new career in professional dog training! I plan on keeping up with this blog to tell about all my experiences--and with my two puppies! I will be getting them both from breeders: a black lab and a dutch shepherd. So if you want to hear all about my adventures, or at least the adventures of my dogs, you should follow this blog of mine! You might even learn a thing or two about dogs, dog behavior, and dog training. I'll be uploading pictures and videos (assuming I can figure that out here). And if you have any question, about the school, dogs, etc. feel free to ask! I'll be happy to answer them.
Stay tuned, and good night! (It's 2:10 AM here, seems like not much has changed in regards to my writing habits).
That's the sentence I heard a lot going in AND graduating college, besides the question of "Will you teach English?" Oy....
As some of you may know, I will be attending a vocational school that specializes in professional dog training. No seriously. I'm moving in like, one day. It is called the Tom Rose School for Professional Dog Trainers, and it's right near my home--albeit, 20-25 minutes away. That's a better deal than the 4 hours to Greencastle, Indiana! I will be going through their Professionals course--though they also offer a Masters, Advanced Masters, and a Service dog course (but you have to pass Professionals first). There I will learn how to train for dog obedience (both for puppies and adults), agility, and schutzhund/IPO/police work.
And some of you might be thinking, "But you went through 4 years at a liberal arts school and got a degree in writing! You were passionate about writing! I thought you wanted to write books for children and young adults! Why the heck are you going to school for dog training??"
Calm down, sit down, and I'll tell you a story.
Every writer knows that he/she can't make a living off of writing; at least, not at first. Unless I manage to pull a J.K. Rowling or Suzanne Collins (or even a Stephanie Meyer), I'm not going to be making enough to sustain a decent living. So, as with any other person with some type of degree in media, I need to have a backup plan. A second job to supplement my main one. And let me just say, if I'm going to be working two jobs--the first one being something that I really love to do--then by golly, the second one will have to be something that I equally love to do. And it better be just as fun and rewarding. Many of you know that I have a soft spot for animals. Any animals. And you also know that getting the foot into the door of working with animals outside the common domesticated ones is very hard--most require at least a biology/zoology degree to be consider; of course, that could've just been my experience. So what's the next best thing? The domesticated ones. Specifically, dogs. Now, that doesn't mean I dislike cats. I have two of them. Dogs are just more fun.
After I graduated college, the amount of writing I had done decreased. I was losing steam. All that mojo I had talked about earlier in the year was gone. I couldn't even bring myself to continue those fanfics I had started--and surprisingly enough, I'd get an email notification telling me that one more person has either favorited a story, put a story on their alert list, or reviewed story. My mom even suggested that writing wasn't truly what I wanted to do. I vehemently denied that notion. I can't explain why, but perhaps I wasn't as eager to write knowing that I didn't really have a reliable source to read and critique my writings as I did in class. And I don't know which is worse. Having a lot of people read and critique my works because it was expected of them (and their grades counted on it), or not having enough willing people to read and critique my works. Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one. The few writing peers I had formed friendships with at school were feeling the same way, some perhaps a little lost and confused. None of us were naive enough to think that we were going to be these great hipster writers who wrote by candlelight with a glass of wine on our desks and a cigar in our hands. But surely we should've at least felt like a weight was lifted off of our shoulders. In a way, I consider myself a little lucky that I can turn to another source of interest to nurture and grow--while also keeping my love for reading and writing. I hope my friends can do the same.
So no, my readers, I'm not changing careers. I'm merely allowing myself to indulge more of my interests and passions. And also looking for another source of income. I feel like many people after college feel that they have to land a job within the field that they studied--and it has to be long term. Well, in my experience, that isn't the case. I worked two jobs--a dog kennel and a branch of my public library--and even then, the amount of time I had to rack up that money was short. I always came home exhausted, tired from the first job and mustering up the energy for the second. I was up from as early as 5:00 in the morning, to late as 9:00 at night. And since the kennel was open 24/7, that included holidays. So no Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years for me. Some people thought I was crazy working all the time, barely having enough time for my non-existent social life. I couldn't even attend my writing guild's meetings because it either conflicted with my work schedule or sleep schedule (meaning I'd dropped dead after coming home from work). But I wanted to go to this school. Badly. And I wanted to pay for it all by myself. My mom paid my college tuition, and helped me pay off my loans. I don't want to have her help me pay for this. She's done her responsibility, and I need to do mine. But even working all of those hours, I'm pretty sure I'm going to end up short. And I definitely won't have the money for the Masters if I decide to do that program as well. After all, the program requires us to get two puppies, and we're in charge of all their expenses (vet bills, food, etc.).
But I'm excited, and hopeful, for my new career in professional dog training! I plan on keeping up with this blog to tell about all my experiences--and with my two puppies! I will be getting them both from breeders: a black lab and a dutch shepherd. So if you want to hear all about my adventures, or at least the adventures of my dogs, you should follow this blog of mine! You might even learn a thing or two about dogs, dog behavior, and dog training. I'll be uploading pictures and videos (assuming I can figure that out here). And if you have any question, about the school, dogs, etc. feel free to ask! I'll be happy to answer them.
Stay tuned, and good night! (It's 2:10 AM here, seems like not much has changed in regards to my writing habits).
Sunday, July 26, 2015
My Next Step? (Long Post)
In my earlier posts I talked about what a job should be, and how I view jobs and work. Before I got my job at the dog boarding facility, I had considered attending a career academy (known as Petropolis) that specialized in dog grooming and dog training. It sounded and looked really good: training and managing dogs that performed scent detection, narcotics
detection, service assistance for a variety of purpose. It was a nice program that had depth to it, and the class schedule was very flexible: as long as you completed the number of days required for the program you could attend whenever. This meant that I could work while going to training school. However, when I went in for the interview and tour of the building something just didn't resonate within me. Did I love animals? Yes. Did I love dogs and want to work with them? Absolutely. But this place just didn't seem like the best place there was. I won't lie, I was drawn in by what they had to offer--but only because I didn't have anything to compare it with. Kinda sounds like the time when I went college searching. And that was about 4 years ago.
Anyway, about a week into working at my job there was a new girl who was hired as a trainer. From the short glimpses I got from watching her work I was absolutely floored by her performance. She had a very professional attitude (though some of that might have been influenced by her personality as well, I don't know her that well), and she was very confident. Compared to the other two trainers, two guys (one was currently enrolled at Petropolis and working at the facility, while the other had attending Petropolis and received his certification), she was top dog. One of my managers told me she attending a well renown school ("The Tom Rose School") in Missouri and had just graduated, though she was still waiting to take the narcotics detection test with one of her dogs. Because I was blown away by how this girl worked, I had to check out this school.
I wasn't disappointed with the results.
This school is top notch. If I thought Petropolis had a good program, this school offered a more intense and more in-depth program. With their professional training program the school teaches training in: Obedience (traditional and motivational, aka "positive training"), "puppy imprinting" which is basically obedience training for puppies (and is equally as intensive), agility, tracking, narcotics detection, how to teach group and private obedience classes, public relations/sales/management, Police K-9/IPO/civil protection & security--all of which are tested with the standards of national organizations and associations. There are written tests along with the physical tests, and the training is both hands-on and lecture based.
In comparison to Petropolis, this school didn't seem like it offered much flexibility. There were only two dates which you can enroll in and you are required to have/train 3 dogs at the end of your training. You can receive these dogs from breeders or shelters that have been approved by the school. If you decided to bring a personal dog you were only allowed to bring one (absolutely no puppies) and it would be evaluated by the staff (to make sure your dog has enough drive and willingness to work, my guess). While making this program a tad bit more expensive, I understand why they do this. As a dog trainer you will come across many temperaments and personalities with each dog. Using just your personal dog doesn't make you a trainer, and your learning is very limited. With that, you might as well enroll in a dog obedience class.
One negative thing about the school, however, is their use of e-collars. For those of you who don't know, e-collars are electronic collars and are very different from shock collars (though they are very similar). They also use pinch collars as a form of training as well. Now, when I say negative I mean it's negative to the general public. I'm not going to get defensive about these particular training tools because we all have our opinions; however, that being said I would like to say a few words on this matter. And because, it wouldn't be my blog post if I didn't make this post longer.
Just like anything else in the world, these two training tools get a bad rep because they're seen in bad light. Many people aren't well-informed about e-collars and pinch collars, therefore they're misused--again, just like any other tool at our disposal. Unfortunately there have been many people (professionals and "professionals") who have backed up the reasons as to why these two objects should never be used to train a dog. Well, one things for sure: people will see and believe what they want to see and believe. To me, those two tools aren't about causing the dog pain, but more of discomfort. Like getting spanked. If you have to apply that much force, where pain is inevitable, then you're doing something wrong. I believe that a good, well-rounded trainer will have a good understanding of how to use each of his/her training tools in his/her tool box whether they like them or not. Like learning how to do long-handed arithmetic. We have calculators in this day and age--but what if some day all the technology just shut down? Including calculators? Huh? What then? Long-handed arithmetic comes in to save the day!
...I never actually believed that, but that's what all my math teachers told us when they had sections on tests that didn't allow calculators....
There are a lot of dogs out there, and at least one of them is going to respond better with those two methods of training. One of the negative critiques of the Tom Rose School I read was that they don't tell you their "training method". Funnily enough, in their catalog they state that they don't teach a single method to use, but rather, they show you a variety of techniques and strategies that help you determine what suits each dog best. A school that doesn't tell you "This is the right way to train a dog! It's the absolute right way!"? I must be dreaming. Of course, if there was a way where methods didn't involve physical consequences (like the e-collar and pinch collars) that would be awesome--but like I said it's no different than spanking (or for you animal-inclined people, using a bridle with a bit with a horse).
I mean really, we reward kids with all kinds of things in school: stickers, extra playtime, food, even grades!
Bottom line is, I really love working with animals. I can easily see myself as a dog trainer. And as stated in my previous post, there's no doubt that it will be a lot of work. But it's also very rewarding--and let's not forget, fun!
For more info on the e-collar, read this article I found! This author does a very nice job providing a neutral perspective on them, and unfortunately, some of the commenters didn't pick up on that.
http://www.chicagonow.com/training-the-wolf/2013/07/shock-collars-myths/
Anyway, about a week into working at my job there was a new girl who was hired as a trainer. From the short glimpses I got from watching her work I was absolutely floored by her performance. She had a very professional attitude (though some of that might have been influenced by her personality as well, I don't know her that well), and she was very confident. Compared to the other two trainers, two guys (one was currently enrolled at Petropolis and working at the facility, while the other had attending Petropolis and received his certification), she was top dog. One of my managers told me she attending a well renown school ("The Tom Rose School") in Missouri and had just graduated, though she was still waiting to take the narcotics detection test with one of her dogs. Because I was blown away by how this girl worked, I had to check out this school.
I wasn't disappointed with the results.
This school is top notch. If I thought Petropolis had a good program, this school offered a more intense and more in-depth program. With their professional training program the school teaches training in: Obedience (traditional and motivational, aka "positive training"), "puppy imprinting" which is basically obedience training for puppies (and is equally as intensive), agility, tracking, narcotics detection, how to teach group and private obedience classes, public relations/sales/management, Police K-9/IPO/civil protection & security--all of which are tested with the standards of national organizations and associations. There are written tests along with the physical tests, and the training is both hands-on and lecture based.
In comparison to Petropolis, this school didn't seem like it offered much flexibility. There were only two dates which you can enroll in and you are required to have/train 3 dogs at the end of your training. You can receive these dogs from breeders or shelters that have been approved by the school. If you decided to bring a personal dog you were only allowed to bring one (absolutely no puppies) and it would be evaluated by the staff (to make sure your dog has enough drive and willingness to work, my guess). While making this program a tad bit more expensive, I understand why they do this. As a dog trainer you will come across many temperaments and personalities with each dog. Using just your personal dog doesn't make you a trainer, and your learning is very limited. With that, you might as well enroll in a dog obedience class.
One negative thing about the school, however, is their use of e-collars. For those of you who don't know, e-collars are electronic collars and are very different from shock collars (though they are very similar). They also use pinch collars as a form of training as well. Now, when I say negative I mean it's negative to the general public. I'm not going to get defensive about these particular training tools because we all have our opinions; however, that being said I would like to say a few words on this matter. And because, it wouldn't be my blog post if I didn't make this post longer.
Just like anything else in the world, these two training tools get a bad rep because they're seen in bad light. Many people aren't well-informed about e-collars and pinch collars, therefore they're misused--again, just like any other tool at our disposal. Unfortunately there have been many people (professionals and "professionals") who have backed up the reasons as to why these two objects should never be used to train a dog. Well, one things for sure: people will see and believe what they want to see and believe. To me, those two tools aren't about causing the dog pain, but more of discomfort. Like getting spanked. If you have to apply that much force, where pain is inevitable, then you're doing something wrong. I believe that a good, well-rounded trainer will have a good understanding of how to use each of his/her training tools in his/her tool box whether they like them or not. Like learning how to do long-handed arithmetic. We have calculators in this day and age--but what if some day all the technology just shut down? Including calculators? Huh? What then? Long-handed arithmetic comes in to save the day!
...I never actually believed that, but that's what all my math teachers told us when they had sections on tests that didn't allow calculators....
There are a lot of dogs out there, and at least one of them is going to respond better with those two methods of training. One of the negative critiques of the Tom Rose School I read was that they don't tell you their "training method". Funnily enough, in their catalog they state that they don't teach a single method to use, but rather, they show you a variety of techniques and strategies that help you determine what suits each dog best. A school that doesn't tell you "This is the right way to train a dog! It's the absolute right way!"? I must be dreaming. Of course, if there was a way where methods didn't involve physical consequences (like the e-collar and pinch collars) that would be awesome--but like I said it's no different than spanking (or for you animal-inclined people, using a bridle with a bit with a horse).
I mean really, we reward kids with all kinds of things in school: stickers, extra playtime, food, even grades!
Bottom line is, I really love working with animals. I can easily see myself as a dog trainer. And as stated in my previous post, there's no doubt that it will be a lot of work. But it's also very rewarding--and let's not forget, fun!
For more info on the e-collar, read this article I found! This author does a very nice job providing a neutral perspective on them, and unfortunately, some of the commenters didn't pick up on that.
http://www.chicagonow.com/training-the-wolf/2013/07/shock-collars-myths/
Thursday, July 16, 2015
A Job Should Be...
When I interned at my cousin's zoo down in Broussard, Louisiana, the one thing I took away from the experience wasn't the impact zoos had, but my cousin's perspective on what it's like running something as big as a zoo. One would think it's busy work, maybe even tedious to some extent. Either way, it can't be that fun, right? Well, according to an interview (from a source that I can't remember off the top of my head) my cousin said that working at the zoo, "isn't a job. It's hard work, but it's nothing but fun." Or something along those lines...but that's exactly how I see my new job.
I work at a business that offers dog boarding, grooming, daycare, training, and specialized pet sitting (the pet sitting can range from overnight pet sitting, going to someone's house to walk their dogs or letting them out to go to the bathroom, feed other pets such as cats and cleaning the litter box, picking up someone's dog and bringing them back to the facility, getting the mail/newspaper and watering plants). But perhaps the most interesting thing about this family-owned business is that not only is it open 24/7 all year round, but instead of kenneling and caging the dogs they let them run free in designated yards--small dogs and big dogs. Small dogs also includes puppies. The dogs have free access to the outside yard, and if it's summer they can easily come back into the air-conditioned building. The only time they're kenneled is when it's night time, and during feeding times. Or, if a dog is food-aggressive and they're not getting fed for a meal (some dogs get fed twice a day instead of three) then they get kenneled only until feeding time is over.
Because it's dog boarding, owners are required to get their dogs vaccinated (rabies, distemper, bordetella, etc.) and since they're not a traditional dog boarding facility, it's like taking your dog to a dog park without worrying about those certain healthrisks. Since there is always someone watching over the dogs, you also don't have to worry about someone else's dog getting too rambunctious or bullying your dog. The staff, which includes me, ALWAYS make sure that there is fair play. No dog is allowed to be "crazy," because let's face it, many people don't realize or think their dog can be rude in terms of dog etiquette.
Now, working at a dog boarding facility may not be the most grand post-college job (it certainly isn't the cleanest), but it does fulfill one important thing that I look for when I do work. It teaches me something in a subject that I love: animals. Not everyone has this perspective, I realize. Some of my co-workers don't. And that's fine. Because of the "less-kenneling and more-playing" policy, I get to see and experience dog and pack behavior up close and personal. What many might deem as an aggressive act, or even a fight, is really just communication between dogs. A dog that snaps at another dog doesn't necessarily mean that that particular dog is "mean" or "just doesn't like other dogs." Depending on the situation and context, that dog is just establishing it's space. Even if a dog is okay with exchanging greetings with another dog for the first five minutes, when it has had enough it's had enough. And if the other dog isn't receptive to body and audio language, a more invasive measure is taken, such as snarling and snapping. Consent is universal.
The bottom line is, some people might see this as "just a job." Therefore, their attitude and manner are going to reflect that. I don't see this job as a "job." Yes, I'm essentially getting paid to pet sit people's dogs, and yes, us employees are basically a glorified pooper-scooper, but it doesn't negate the fact that it's still a lot of work. I almost see it as being a life-guard for the dogs, but instead of saving human lives, you prevent dog fights from breaking out. We're basically mediators, or referees. We have to check each dog from head to toe, looking at the eyes, ears, mouth, teeth. We even make sure that the butts are clean. You have to mop and pick up every mess, poop, pee, and vomit--and the quicker the better. And, let's face it, giving attention to 15+ pups is pretty exhausting. :) It's a very fun job, and I'd be lying if I said it was boring. Yes, a job is needed to pay the bills and support a family. But that doesn't mean it can't be fun. I know many people face the dilemma of choosing a boring job that has a high salary and a fun job that has a lower salary--but most often times, in my opinion, the fun job has a lot more to offer (if you do it right). A job should be fun, but it shouldn't be just fun. It should provide learning opportunities for you. I may be out of college, I may have my Bachelor's degree, but I still want to learn. I just don't want to learn in a classroom setting with grades anymore. :P
If any of you want to know about this place, whether you're in St. Louis or not, shoot me an email, or leave a comment! :)
I work at a business that offers dog boarding, grooming, daycare, training, and specialized pet sitting (the pet sitting can range from overnight pet sitting, going to someone's house to walk their dogs or letting them out to go to the bathroom, feed other pets such as cats and cleaning the litter box, picking up someone's dog and bringing them back to the facility, getting the mail/newspaper and watering plants). But perhaps the most interesting thing about this family-owned business is that not only is it open 24/7 all year round, but instead of kenneling and caging the dogs they let them run free in designated yards--small dogs and big dogs. Small dogs also includes puppies. The dogs have free access to the outside yard, and if it's summer they can easily come back into the air-conditioned building. The only time they're kenneled is when it's night time, and during feeding times. Or, if a dog is food-aggressive and they're not getting fed for a meal (some dogs get fed twice a day instead of three) then they get kenneled only until feeding time is over.
Because it's dog boarding, owners are required to get their dogs vaccinated (rabies, distemper, bordetella, etc.) and since they're not a traditional dog boarding facility, it's like taking your dog to a dog park without worrying about those certain healthrisks. Since there is always someone watching over the dogs, you also don't have to worry about someone else's dog getting too rambunctious or bullying your dog. The staff, which includes me, ALWAYS make sure that there is fair play. No dog is allowed to be "crazy," because let's face it, many people don't realize or think their dog can be rude in terms of dog etiquette.
Now, working at a dog boarding facility may not be the most grand post-college job (it certainly isn't the cleanest), but it does fulfill one important thing that I look for when I do work. It teaches me something in a subject that I love: animals. Not everyone has this perspective, I realize. Some of my co-workers don't. And that's fine. Because of the "less-kenneling and more-playing" policy, I get to see and experience dog and pack behavior up close and personal. What many might deem as an aggressive act, or even a fight, is really just communication between dogs. A dog that snaps at another dog doesn't necessarily mean that that particular dog is "mean" or "just doesn't like other dogs." Depending on the situation and context, that dog is just establishing it's space. Even if a dog is okay with exchanging greetings with another dog for the first five minutes, when it has had enough it's had enough. And if the other dog isn't receptive to body and audio language, a more invasive measure is taken, such as snarling and snapping. Consent is universal.
The bottom line is, some people might see this as "just a job." Therefore, their attitude and manner are going to reflect that. I don't see this job as a "job." Yes, I'm essentially getting paid to pet sit people's dogs, and yes, us employees are basically a glorified pooper-scooper, but it doesn't negate the fact that it's still a lot of work. I almost see it as being a life-guard for the dogs, but instead of saving human lives, you prevent dog fights from breaking out. We're basically mediators, or referees. We have to check each dog from head to toe, looking at the eyes, ears, mouth, teeth. We even make sure that the butts are clean. You have to mop and pick up every mess, poop, pee, and vomit--and the quicker the better. And, let's face it, giving attention to 15+ pups is pretty exhausting. :) It's a very fun job, and I'd be lying if I said it was boring. Yes, a job is needed to pay the bills and support a family. But that doesn't mean it can't be fun. I know many people face the dilemma of choosing a boring job that has a high salary and a fun job that has a lower salary--but most often times, in my opinion, the fun job has a lot more to offer (if you do it right). A job should be fun, but it shouldn't be just fun. It should provide learning opportunities for you. I may be out of college, I may have my Bachelor's degree, but I still want to learn. I just don't want to learn in a classroom setting with grades anymore. :P
If any of you want to know about this place, whether you're in St. Louis or not, shoot me an email, or leave a comment! :)
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
What to Do with a Writing Degree
I have absolutely no clue.
On May 17, 2015, I officially graduated from my university with a degree in English Writing (I like to call it Creative Writing, because that's what I was doing in my writing classes--writing creatively) and a minor in Asian Studies. And now that I'm almost a month and a half into my life as a college graduate, job searching has been one of the most frustrating and utterly dismal things I've done. Searching as a high school student seemed like a piece of cake--but perhaps that was because people were willing to high an innocent, naive, person who had no idea what to expect.
So what do I do now? I applied to my public library--at two different locations--both of whom rejected my application. Alright, I get it, maybe having a degree or study in library science might've given me that extra boost. Next I applied to Barnes & Noble, to which not only did I not get, but I didn't even receive an email that I wasn't even considered. If I'm going to be told no, at least have the courtesy of letting that person know. Anyway, what was surprising about those two jobs was that those were the two that I thought I might have a chance getting considering my background in English. Well, I missed that one by a mile...or two.
What I'd really like to do is work with animals. Now, I know that my degree isn't exactly "animal friendly" so to speak, BUT, I will say that my resume will state otherwise. I've had plenty of professional experience with animal handling and care--zoos, the Humane Society, World Bird Sanctuary, etc. In fact, I'm officially a volunteer at WBS as a rehabilitation technician. It's really cool and fun, but most of all rewarding. Some people do it for bragging rights (i.e. "I get to handle hawks, owls, eagles, etc."). I won't lie, those are some pretty cool bragging rights; however, for me it's all about the animals. Everything that I do there is for those raptors (no...no, not velociraptors), and for my interest in learning everything there is to know about them. Not to mention in the hospital, all the work that we do is to get the animal back in the wild where it belongs. There's no interacting; in fact, the less you interact, the better. Or in other words, less is more. Otherwise there is a huge risk of imprinting, which is bad. I never understood that as a kid, but now I realize that any interaction you have with a juvenile wild animal there is that imprinting risk. Anytime I work with animals I'm always observing, because with animals (at least, in my opinion), you learn so much more by watching their behaviors and interactions with each other than with you interacting with them. That's one of the themes in my book that I've written--there is huge emphasis on observation, and less with intervening and interacting. Especially with animals in the wild.
Observing is key for writing, especially when doing research. Which brings me to the point, actually getting involved is a crucial aspect. Don't get me wrong, observation gives you a lot of information; but actually getting up close and personal gives you a another aspect to consider. I know I just said that less is more, but that's why I volunteer at WBS. Not only do I get the opportunity to observe the behaviors of these animals, but I get to experience first hand. I can have my cake and eat it, too. Another example are horses. You'd be surprised at how many fictional horse books there are with the author having no experience with horses. I'm talking about little chapter books for young girls--I used to read them. I met one author who wrote some books of the same subject and said that she didn't own any horses, nor did she ride, but she had plenty of friends did and would ask them. She then told me that horses actually make her uncomfortable (which is understandable), but she got all of her information from her horse-riding friends. Now, that sounds pretty fair, right? Well, for me, I'd rather experience horses first hand--handling, care-taking, riding, working/training, everything that comes with the subject of horses. I actually did ride for a while, took lessons and everything, and let me tell you, nothing compares to the actual act of riding a horse. I'm not discrediting any author who researches by observing, but for those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty (so to speak), I say go for it. Go big, or go home, as some might say.
So what to do with a degree in writing? Well, I'm still trying to figure that out. Besides writing, of course. Even then, I've lost a lot of motivation for my book. I think it's because I'm in the summer mindset. But school is over for me, at least, for now. I don't have any excuse. So, I'm trying to get this blog back up and going again. That's Step 1. Step 2, when the book doesn't appeal, go to my fanfics. Anything to keep me writing. Step 3...step 3 is....to....Read! When all else fails! Read, read, read.
READ!!!!!
And on that note, I'm going to pick up "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" by Tony Attwood. So far it's been a good read on the syndrome. I was introduced to it by the game "To the Moon" by Kan Gao, it's on Steam. You should check it out, if you have Steam. Totally worth playing. And replaying. And replaying. Just make sure you have a box of tissues next to your computer.
On May 17, 2015, I officially graduated from my university with a degree in English Writing (I like to call it Creative Writing, because that's what I was doing in my writing classes--writing creatively) and a minor in Asian Studies. And now that I'm almost a month and a half into my life as a college graduate, job searching has been one of the most frustrating and utterly dismal things I've done. Searching as a high school student seemed like a piece of cake--but perhaps that was because people were willing to high an innocent, naive, person who had no idea what to expect.
So what do I do now? I applied to my public library--at two different locations--both of whom rejected my application. Alright, I get it, maybe having a degree or study in library science might've given me that extra boost. Next I applied to Barnes & Noble, to which not only did I not get, but I didn't even receive an email that I wasn't even considered. If I'm going to be told no, at least have the courtesy of letting that person know. Anyway, what was surprising about those two jobs was that those were the two that I thought I might have a chance getting considering my background in English. Well, I missed that one by a mile...or two.
What I'd really like to do is work with animals. Now, I know that my degree isn't exactly "animal friendly" so to speak, BUT, I will say that my resume will state otherwise. I've had plenty of professional experience with animal handling and care--zoos, the Humane Society, World Bird Sanctuary, etc. In fact, I'm officially a volunteer at WBS as a rehabilitation technician. It's really cool and fun, but most of all rewarding. Some people do it for bragging rights (i.e. "I get to handle hawks, owls, eagles, etc."). I won't lie, those are some pretty cool bragging rights; however, for me it's all about the animals. Everything that I do there is for those raptors (no...no, not velociraptors), and for my interest in learning everything there is to know about them. Not to mention in the hospital, all the work that we do is to get the animal back in the wild where it belongs. There's no interacting; in fact, the less you interact, the better. Or in other words, less is more. Otherwise there is a huge risk of imprinting, which is bad. I never understood that as a kid, but now I realize that any interaction you have with a juvenile wild animal there is that imprinting risk. Anytime I work with animals I'm always observing, because with animals (at least, in my opinion), you learn so much more by watching their behaviors and interactions with each other than with you interacting with them. That's one of the themes in my book that I've written--there is huge emphasis on observation, and less with intervening and interacting. Especially with animals in the wild.
Observing is key for writing, especially when doing research. Which brings me to the point, actually getting involved is a crucial aspect. Don't get me wrong, observation gives you a lot of information; but actually getting up close and personal gives you a another aspect to consider. I know I just said that less is more, but that's why I volunteer at WBS. Not only do I get the opportunity to observe the behaviors of these animals, but I get to experience first hand. I can have my cake and eat it, too. Another example are horses. You'd be surprised at how many fictional horse books there are with the author having no experience with horses. I'm talking about little chapter books for young girls--I used to read them. I met one author who wrote some books of the same subject and said that she didn't own any horses, nor did she ride, but she had plenty of friends did and would ask them. She then told me that horses actually make her uncomfortable (which is understandable), but she got all of her information from her horse-riding friends. Now, that sounds pretty fair, right? Well, for me, I'd rather experience horses first hand--handling, care-taking, riding, working/training, everything that comes with the subject of horses. I actually did ride for a while, took lessons and everything, and let me tell you, nothing compares to the actual act of riding a horse. I'm not discrediting any author who researches by observing, but for those who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty (so to speak), I say go for it. Go big, or go home, as some might say.
So what to do with a degree in writing? Well, I'm still trying to figure that out. Besides writing, of course. Even then, I've lost a lot of motivation for my book. I think it's because I'm in the summer mindset. But school is over for me, at least, for now. I don't have any excuse. So, I'm trying to get this blog back up and going again. That's Step 1. Step 2, when the book doesn't appeal, go to my fanfics. Anything to keep me writing. Step 3...step 3 is....to....Read! When all else fails! Read, read, read.
READ!!!!!
And on that note, I'm going to pick up "The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome" by Tony Attwood. So far it's been a good read on the syndrome. I was introduced to it by the game "To the Moon" by Kan Gao, it's on Steam. You should check it out, if you have Steam. Totally worth playing. And replaying. And replaying. Just make sure you have a box of tissues next to your computer.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Update on my Life (way overdue)
This blog post is wayyyy overdue, and I apologize to anyone who has been keeping up with it. In the last week of August I embarked on my last journey of college: senior year. This fall semester I was enrolled in four classes: Fiction Writing Workshop, Environmental Crisis Narrative (English literature topics course), US-East Relations, and then Independent Writing (a course in which I work 1-on-1 with a professor of my choice). As of now, I am currently withdrawn from the history course (US-East Relations). I had originally taken this class in order to fulfill a liberal arts requirements--we need to have 2 social science credits. Unfortunately, my sophomore year my school decided to make a rule that students cannot receive more than one graduation credit from the same department. Since I had already had another history class count towards social science, this means that I can't take another history class to receive the second social science credit. This was a little frustrating, considering I had tried to get into other classes that would fulfill the social science requirement. As part of the liberal arts, I understand these general education requirements; however, it's really hard on students (like me) who have a late start. Anyway, hopefully I'll get into a class next semester. I'll have to, otherwise I won't graduate. Some people might think that I should just enroll in a random class that would fulfill that requirement and be done with it, but I want to take a class that I'm at least interested in. What's the point in taking a class that you have zero interest in, and/or taking it to just fulfill a requirement? None, in my opinion.
The start to my semester was a little rocky. I got in the passing range of all of my classes on my first assignments, and to make things worse, classes just weren't working out the way I thought they were. But now, things have calmed down a bit, and I've been able to gather my bearings. My Fiction Writing Workshop class was the one that I had the most trouble with. Let me tell you.
My professor for this class is one that I've had before. Last spring, I took his writing class where we explored novellas. I absolutely loved his class, and the fact that he allowed and encouraged me to adapt my screenplay into a novella. It was a great success. In that same year, another book idea came to me in the form of a character. I didn't exactly have a story yet, but I was very intrigued and fascinated by this character. I had talked to the professor about it, and asked if maybe I could use that idea for this class. Back then, he seemed okay with it. Now, he wasn't that enthused. He wanted me to hold back on "world-building" and write a story where I'd create characters that readers would meet and greet, and then say good-bye (not those exact words, but I'm paraphrasing). Anyway, for about 2 weeks I was in a slump--like, a MAJOR slump. I was so upset, frustrated, and angry. I also think I felt a little betrayed and hurt. I didn't know what to write. It was obvious to me that I couldn't write what I wanted to write, and that was a horrible feeling. No writer should ever go through it. Writer's block seemed better than being told that you can't write what you want to write. During that two week period I began to feel distant from writing. Everything I wrote was half-hearted, and quite frankly, I didn't care what I was writing. And because of that, I didn't care what people were going to say. This feeling was familiar, not that I'd experience personally before, but I remember hearing about it on TV. Turns out, it was every animal show that had an animal rejected its young.
When I had that thought I felt a little disgusted with myself--like a little bit of my humanity disappeared. I consider each story I write as an extension of me, as a child of my creation. That revelation, if you will, made me think that I was a bad person. So I wrote a story about that experience. Unfortunately, I think most people saw it as a jab at my professor, which I won't deny; however, he was only the catalyst. The real story was about a writer who was caught between what someone else wanted her to write vs. what she wanted to write, and how it made her feel. This is a conflict that every student faces. Do you do what you want to do, and what you truly are interested in? Or do you just write what the professor wants, to please the professor?
On that note, I'm ending this post. In the next one, I'll talk about how I got my writing mojo back. So it's a happy ending...at least for now.
The start to my semester was a little rocky. I got in the passing range of all of my classes on my first assignments, and to make things worse, classes just weren't working out the way I thought they were. But now, things have calmed down a bit, and I've been able to gather my bearings. My Fiction Writing Workshop class was the one that I had the most trouble with. Let me tell you.
My professor for this class is one that I've had before. Last spring, I took his writing class where we explored novellas. I absolutely loved his class, and the fact that he allowed and encouraged me to adapt my screenplay into a novella. It was a great success. In that same year, another book idea came to me in the form of a character. I didn't exactly have a story yet, but I was very intrigued and fascinated by this character. I had talked to the professor about it, and asked if maybe I could use that idea for this class. Back then, he seemed okay with it. Now, he wasn't that enthused. He wanted me to hold back on "world-building" and write a story where I'd create characters that readers would meet and greet, and then say good-bye (not those exact words, but I'm paraphrasing). Anyway, for about 2 weeks I was in a slump--like, a MAJOR slump. I was so upset, frustrated, and angry. I also think I felt a little betrayed and hurt. I didn't know what to write. It was obvious to me that I couldn't write what I wanted to write, and that was a horrible feeling. No writer should ever go through it. Writer's block seemed better than being told that you can't write what you want to write. During that two week period I began to feel distant from writing. Everything I wrote was half-hearted, and quite frankly, I didn't care what I was writing. And because of that, I didn't care what people were going to say. This feeling was familiar, not that I'd experience personally before, but I remember hearing about it on TV. Turns out, it was every animal show that had an animal rejected its young.
When I had that thought I felt a little disgusted with myself--like a little bit of my humanity disappeared. I consider each story I write as an extension of me, as a child of my creation. That revelation, if you will, made me think that I was a bad person. So I wrote a story about that experience. Unfortunately, I think most people saw it as a jab at my professor, which I won't deny; however, he was only the catalyst. The real story was about a writer who was caught between what someone else wanted her to write vs. what she wanted to write, and how it made her feel. This is a conflict that every student faces. Do you do what you want to do, and what you truly are interested in? Or do you just write what the professor wants, to please the professor?
On that note, I'm ending this post. In the next one, I'll talk about how I got my writing mojo back. So it's a happy ending...at least for now.
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